Sun Grid Software

[Scott Shealy]

Just wanted to see if anyone out there wanted to chime in on Sun's Gridware
software(I think they acquired CODINE)...  It is a resource/batch scheduler.
I have read some of the docs and it seems to even support parallel(like mpi)
jobs.  Currently it runs on Solaris(of course) and Linux. They are claiming
that they are going to distribute if for free and that they are going to
open source it in the first half of 2001 one with a "suitable open source
license"(thats a can of worms). If you want to chime in with some
experience, intuition, or opinion ... that would be great.

Here is the link if you want to check it out....
http://www.sun.com/software/gridware/


Scott Shealy

Also Here is some propaganda from one there faq...   

11. Can I use Sun Grid Engine to "parallelize" a sequential engineering
application?

No. Sun Grid Engine does not generate a parallel code from a sequential
application. But it does provide a flexible and powerful interface to manage
optimally parallel applications in a distributed environment. See the user
manual for more information on parallel jobs.

The Sun Grid Engine manual is available in PDF format (file size 11.4
MBytes) and .ZIP format (file size 9.8 MBytes)

Back to Top



----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----


12. What is Sun's strategy now that the acquisition of Gridware is complete?

We want this technology, and the benefits it brings to technical computing,
to become mainstream.

Back to Top



----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----


13. Compute farms and this technology are common in EDA. Isn't this
technology already mainstream?

Our research shows that no more than 2% to 5% of Sun's CPU installed base
actually runs this kind of software. The numbers are lower on other
platforms. In the market as a whole, it is very much in the early adoption
phase.

Back to Top



----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----


14. How are you going to achieve this goal (making it mainstream)?

To go mainstream, basic distributed resource management software needs to
be:

free 
open source 
supported by a major vendor 
have standards-based APIs 
We have three main initiatives to help bring this about:

Provide a free binary version of Sun Grid Engine software. Sun announced on
September 27, 2000 that Sun Grid Engine software is available for use
Solaris platforms at no cost. Support from Sun Enterprise Services is
available on a fee-basis.0


Deliver Sun Grid Engine software source code under a suitable open source
agreement. Sun is working to commence this program by the end of 2000.


Work with many ISVs and other partners to create a draft API framework for
consideration as a standard.
This is a work in progress. Sun will work to establish consensus in the
distrtibuted resource management area with other vendors.

Back to Top



----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----


15. What source license has Sun chosen to release Sun Grid Engine software
under?

Sun Grid Engine software will be released under an industry-accepted Open
Source License. Sun will announce details around the end of December 2000.

Sun will make available Sun Grid Engine software source code through an
independent body.

Back to Top



----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----


16. How does your open source announcement relate to any existing
distributed resource management applications now in open source?

Today the distributed resource managment space can be generally
characterized as consisting of two market communities:

An academic and government user community addressing specialized
computational problems, where customization of the DRM layer provides
application optimization


Commercial enterprise applications generally involving product design or
research, where reliability and support services are essential 
Sun believes the wide adoption of distributed computing will see the
different requirements of these communities increasing overlap. Also, the
increasing use of distributed computing will create an arena where DRM
components from different providers will need to interoperate seamlessly. To
meet these requirements, Sun intends to work as a partner with all
interested parties -- existing and future open source developers, as well as
hardware and software manufacturers -- to create free and open software and
standards for distributed resource management.

Back to Top



----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----


17. What will be the independent body that works with and oversees the open
source efforts?

Sun is presently finalizing the details of this independent body. Sun will
announce details before the end of the year.

Back to Top